Car stop



June 28, 1938. P. J. MOCULLOUGH CAR STOP Filed July 3, 1957 Patented June 28, 1938 CAR s'ror Paul J. McCullough, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Joseph Pavelka, Sr., St, Louis, Mo.

Application July 3, 1937, Serial No. 151,793

15 Claims. (01. 104-258) a The. invention relates to car stops adapted to be placed at a selected point ontop of a car rail and clamped thereto to engage the wheel of a car to limit the movement of the car along the rail.

One of the objects of the invention is to facilitate the application and removal of a stop of the type referred to.

Another object of the invention is to simplify such stop structure and to minimize the cost thereof. v

These and other detailed objects of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description of the device, reference 1 being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of. the stop showing the same in position on a rail.

Figure 2 is a similar elevation showing th holding device in released position. 1

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the structure as shown in Figure l.

, Figure 4 is a similar elevation illustrating a modified structure.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The device illustrated in Figuresl, 2 and 3' comprises a body structure I, having a base 2 adapted to rest upon the top of a head of a track rail 3, the body including forwardly and rearwardly facing surfaces adapted to contact with the wheel of a car mounted upon the track. Lugs 4 and 5 depend from body I, and lug 4 includes'a jaw 6 arranged to project beneath the rail head. The other lug 5 has its inclined edge shaped to permit the device to be moved into position on 1 the rail head with jaw 6 opposing the underside of the head as shown. I

A rod 1 is passed through an aperture 8 in the body structure and is then bent at right angles at the sides of. the-body to form a lever handle 9 and a hook it respectively. When the handle is raised, as shown in Figure 2, hook ID will be moved away. from jaw B so as to permit the device to be applied to a rail or removed therefrom. When the handle is lowered, as shown in Figure I, hook ill will be moved towardsjaw B to hold the "device onto the rail.

A coiled spring H is compressed between a bracket l2 onhandle 9 and the opposing face of the body, beingpositioned onthe latter by a projection l3. Spring H and the rod structure have a snap action whereby the handle and hook are yieldingly held in one of the two positions indicated, pins 14 serving to limit the movement of the handle in opposite directions from an intermediate neutral point. a

If desired, a padlock l5 may be applied through an aperture IS in, the body to prevent upward movement of handle 9 and thereby maintain hook l0 beneath the rail head and prevent removal of the device from the rail except by an authorized person.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the body structure isjmade of. a plurality of relatively thin plates having substantially the same contour as'the cast or forged body structure shown in Figures 1 to 3. The outer plates 21 and 22 have an aperture corresponding to aperture 8 in the body structurepreviously described,

. and the intermediate plates 23, 24 and 25 are The operating lever 39 corresponds to that shown in Figures 1 to. 3 and may be given its final form before assemblywith the body structure if the plates comprising the latter are not secured together until the handle is assembled therewith. The two outer plates 2| and 22 may be passed separately over the hook end of the lever into the position shown in Figure 4, and the intermediate plates 23, 24 and 25 may be inserted between plates 2| and 22 and moved transversely of the journal portion of the leverinto the position shown. All of the plates can then be riveted together, as indicated, to form a substantial body structure. r

In both forms of the invention, thebase off the stop is relatively narrow, longitudinally of the rail, and the wheel opposing face of the stop is relatively wide transversely of the rail. There is sufficient clearance between the rail head and lugs 4 and 5 and. jaw 6 to permit the stop to tilt from. its upright position longitudinally of the rail and to twist from its normal position with its wheel engaging face at right angles to the rail. Since the wheel engaging face of. the body extends laterally a substantial distance beyond the edge of the rail head, the body will first with and dependin tween opposed lugs 4 and '5 and between the jaw 6 and base 2. Thus the device is securely clamped to the rail and held against movement longitudinally thereof by rigid elements and independently of the movable latching element which merely serves as a retainer to temporarily hold the device upright and prevent its accidental dislodgment from the rail.

It is obvious that the device is very simply constructed and readily applied to the rail and secured in position by a single movement of the operating lever. When it is desired to remove the device, it is just as simply released. It is unnecessary to drill any holes in the rail or to utilize tools of any kind in applying and removing the stop. The device is readily operated in close quarters and is therefore particularly adapted for use on mine car tracks where there is relatively little clearance at the side of the track.

The device may be modified substantially'in appearanceand in detail construction from the arrangement illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of the invention and exclusive use of such modifications as come within the sc pe of; the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. A car stopcomprising a block arranged to s up n the op of gaging elements, a rail engaging member rigid from said block, and a cooperating latch lever pivoted directly on said block at a point spaced from the wheel engaging elements and said member and including a hook movable into and out of position to engage the rail to hold the block thereon, there being spring means for yieldingly holding said latch and hook in, rail, engaging position or in released position.

2. A car stop comprising a block arranged to rest upon the top of a rail. head and having a jaw to engage the side and bottom of said head, said block having a wheel engaging surface, and a latch lever pivoted directly on said block at a point spaced from said surface and including a hook movable towards and away from said jaw to cooperate therewith in securing the block to. the, rail head, between the block and the latch and arranged to thrust the latch downwardly and the hook inwardlyor to thrust the latch upwardly and. the hook outwardly when the latch isv moved to one side or the other of an intermediate neutral position.

3. A car stop comprising a block adapted to stand upright upon a rail and having a wheel engaging face and depending lugs for straddling the rail, a locking device comprising a rod journaled in said block on an axis perpendicularly to said wheel: engaging face and; at one side of said block extending downwardly and terminating in a rail engaging hook and at the other. side of said block, extending outwardly to form an operating handle, said" rod being operable by said handle.

about said axis to move said hook into and out of rail engaging position, there being spring means for yieldingly holding said handle and'hook in rail, engaging position or in released position.

4. In a carstop, a wheelengaging block adapted'to rest-upon the top of a rail, opposing elements 7 for engaging opposite sides of the railto hold the block thereto, one of said elements being pivotally-mounted onsaid block and movable into and out of functioning position, and spring means providing a snap .action forsaid pivotally mounted element tending to hold it in either position.

% In.a-car;stop, a; wheel'engaging block-adapta rail and having wheel enthere being a spring compressed ed to rest upon the top of a rail, opposing elements for engaging opposite sides of the rail to hold the block thereto, one of said elements being pivotally mounted on said block and movable into and out of functioning position, and spring means providing a snap action for said pivotally mounted element tending to hold it in either position.

6. In a car stop, a wheel engaging block adapted to rest upon the top of a rail and including a depending jaw for engaging one side of the rail, a hand lever pivoted on said block and movable in a vertical plane and extending laterally beplates arranged side by side and including depending elements head, a rod extending through said plates and bentat right angles at the sides of said structure to form respectively a. hand lever and a latch for engaging the other side of the rail, some of said plates being apertured to permit their application to said rod endwise of the latter, the apertures forming circular bearings for the rod, and others of said plates being slotted inwardly from their edges to permit their application over said rod transversely of its axis.

8. In a car stop; a body structure adapted to rest upon a rail and engage one side face thereof, a rod extending through said structure and bent at right angles at the sides of said structure to form respectively a hand lever and a latch for engaging the other side of, the rail, said structure comprising a series of plates, the outer of'which are apertured to, have said rod pass through them, there being plates inserted intermediate said outer; plates to hold the same spaced apart, said intermediate plates being recessed inwardly from their edges to permit the movement of said rod laterally to a point spaced inwardly from said edges. 5

9. Ina car stop, a body structure'adapted to rest upon. a railand engage one side face thereof and comprising a plurality of plates arranged side by' side, a rod with a section extending through and journaledin said structure and with sections. extending along opposed sides of said structure to form respectively an operating handle and: a hook for engaging the other side of the rail head, a spring compressed between the edge of said body structure and said handle to hold the same in extreme positions of its pivotal movement, some of the intermediate plates being notched at their edges to seat one end of said spring between the outer unnotched plates.

' 10. In a car stop, a body structure adapted to rest upon. a railv and. engage one side face thereof and comprising a plurality of plates arranged side byside, a rod with and journaled in said structure and with sections extending along opposed sides of said structure to form respectively an operating handle and a hook for engaging the other side of the rail head, a spring compressed between the edge of said body structure and said. handle to hold the same in extreme positions of its pivotal movement, one of. the intermediate plates being notched inwardly. of its=edge to receive the end of said spring and having a. tongue projecting for engaging one side of a rail rail and providingffor tilting of the stop longitudinally of the rail from an upright position and from the inner portion of s aid notch to enter said spring and position it transversely of its axis.

1 1. Acar stop comprising a body arranged to restupon a rail and having a wheel engaging member and a rigid element for engaging one side of a rail, a latch pivoted on said body and including a hook movable into and out of position'to engage the other side of the rail to hold the body thereon; ,andgspring means yieldingly holding. said latch and hook in rail engaging position. v

12. A car stop comprising a bodyhaving a base forresting upon a rail and an'upstanding face for engaging a wheel; said base being relatively narrow lengthwise of the rail and said face being I relatively wide transversely of the rail to project laterally beyond the rail head into position to be engaged by a wheel flange, and rigid projecting elements arranged to receive between them laterally and downwardly facing portions of the for twisting of the stop from a normal transverse receive between them a rail head whereby the body may be clamped at position the rail and held against movement along the rail;

13. A car stop as described in claim 12 which also includes means in addition to said rigid projecting elements for retaining the stop onthe rail when there is no car wheel pressure against the stop.

14; A car stop comprising a body with a base arranged to rest upon a rail and including a wheel engagingmember' extending upwardly from said base and rail, opposing elementsrigid with said member and extending downwardly and inposition to cooperate with one or more of the rail opposing elements to hold the body thereon, and

spring meansyieldingly holding said latch and hook in such cooperating'position. r PAUL J. McCULLOUGI-I. 

